Cooler



H. C. FYOCK Aug. 15, 1944.

COOLER Filed July 19, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRY C. FYOCK BY $21.7 M

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ooonna Harry G. Fyock, Reynolds, Mo. Application ruiyia, 1943, Serial N6. 495,302

20 Claims.

The invention relates to coolers,and more particularly to coolers of the type used in vending food products such, for example, as bottled drinks, packaged candy, butter, cheese and similar products. The invention comprises all the novel features described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and consists more particularly in structure facilitating the application of cooling liquid, such as ice water, tothe goods to be cooled.

One of the objects of the invention is to facilitate the charging of the cooler with ice without unpacking and repacking the cooler.

Another object is to obtain frequent and adequate circulation of the fluid in the cooler and thereby maintain the fluid sweet and free from stagnation and thereby avoid the necessity of replacing the fluid which would involve undesirable labor, a rise in. temperature and increased consumption of ice.

Other objects are to goods to be sold, to avoid isolation of the goods from the cooling medium, to, avoid breakage of bottles, to avoid the necessity of the attendants plunging his hand into the cooling liquid, and to utilize replaced liquid for precooling goods in storage.

Another object of the invention is to favorably attract the customer's attention by movement of the goods and by movement and sound of the cooling fluid.

Another object is to readily adapt ordinary coolers for an agitating device for the purpose mentioned.

These and other detail objects as will be explained below are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a cooler, embodying one form of the invention, with portions of the doors or lids broken away to better illustrate the construction.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 correspond to Figure 2 but illustrate other forms of the invention.

The cooler shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3 embodies a receptacle in the form of a chest or cabinet having a bottom wall I and upright walls 2, I, l and 5 and a pair of doors 6 and 1 hinged at l to swing vertically about an axis extending transversely of walls 3 and 5. Preferably the doors are mounted upon a rectangular frame I corresponding in contour to the top edges of the upright facilitate access to the walls of the receptacle and readily applicable to and removable from the receptacle with the doors and other parts of the structure as will be described below. a

Two substantially identical cooperating units are placed in the receptacle each extending from one end of the receptacle towards the middle. Each unit includes an upright plate ID with its lower end rebent as shown at H and resting upon bottom wall I, the upper end of the plate being received behind a downturned flange I! on frame 9. A channel-shaped member l3 has its edges united with plate ID to form a rectangular chute H, the upper end of which is spaced substantially below the top of the receptacle and the lower end of which is spaced substantially above the bottom of the receptacle.

A shelf for the goods is formed by a plate having horizontally disposed portions l5 and it and intermediate upright portions IT. The shelf extends substantially from side to side of the receptacle and from the end to the middle of the receptacle but is spaced sufliciently from the sides and end of the receptacle to freely accommodate movement of liquid around the edges of the shelf. The adjacent ends of the two shelves are similarly spaced from each other. The shelf straddles chute fonming member l3 and has its adjacent ends flanged downwardly, as indicated at IE, to fit over the upstanding flange I l and thereby provide a pivotal mounting for the shelf. The other end of the shelf is suspended by links I! and 20 to the inner end of the corresponding door so that when the door is swung from the closed position, as indicated at 6 in Figure 2, to the open position, as indicated at I, the inner end of the shelf is raised and when the door is closed the inner end of the shelf is lowered.

Normally the receptacle will be filled with a mixture of water and ice the level of which is indicated at L and, when a door is opened and the shelf is raised, the liquid will be given a surge towards the end of the box and will flow over the sides and ends of the shelf and, when the door is closed and the shelf lowered, the liquid will be given a surge in the opposite direction, thus thoroughly agitating and effecting substantial circulation of the liquid from one upright wall to the opposite upright wall throughout the box and not merely beneath and around the shelf which is raised and' lowered.

The receptacle is charged with ice by shovelling or dumping quantities of cracked ice down the chutes H, the ice being largely confined beneath the shelves although, if desired, a small amount of cracked ice may be placed in the water above the shelves for attracting the attention of customers and for producing a pleasing, clicking sound upon contacting with the bottles when the shelves are raised and lowered. It is unnecessary to have ice above the shelf to eilect cooling as the water approaching the temperature of the ice will decrease in density and. rise to the level L and the denser water, at about 40 Fahrenheit, will move downwardly.

With this arrangement all of the exposed surfaces of all the bottles are constantly exposed to cold liquid, thus effecting a rapid cooling of the contents of the bottles. Any bottle may be removed and replaced readily without disturbing the other bottles and none of the bottles will be insulated from the cooling medium by other bot-- ties in the cooler.

Because of the long leverage resulting from the assures plates as to form an agitating chamber a at the 4 bottom of the receptacle. An agitator 61 is disposed in chamber 36 and is connected by a strap 38 and a link 36 to a hinged end of a correspondin -door 40.

When a door is opened, the corresponding agi-.

. direction or the agitator may be provided with a suspension of the hinged end of the door and 2 because of the pivotal support of the shelf at the end spaced from the link support, the manual efiort required to eflect the circulation of the liquid is practically imperceptible. The movement of the tops 01' the bottles eilected by the opening and closing of the doors attracts the attention of the observer and such eye-appeal" is always advantageous in promoting sales of products of the class indicated.

One or both ends of the receptacle may be provided with an extension 2| receiving a box-like container 22 around which the liquid may circulate without coming in contact with the contents of the box, which may consist of candy bars or similar packaged goods, access to which is through a hinged or sliding door 23.

Passageways 24 and 25 through receptacle wall 4 rovide for the circulation of the cooling liquid through extension 2|. When either shelf of the main receptacle is raised, liquid in extension 2| will move to the left through passageways 24 and 25. When the shelf is lowered, reverse movement will take place. If desired, the lid or door for extension 2| may be used to agitate the liquid in the extension as does the door of the main receptacle.

When the receptacle is recharged, as described above, surplus liquid is removed through the cock 26. It is never necessary to remove the bottles or other product on the shelves to service the cooler. A supplementary open top compartment 21 below the main receptacle is arranged to receive liquid discharged through cook 26. Bottles 26 may be stored in this compartment and be main chamber.

As explained above, the doors are preferably mounted upon a rectangular frame 9 which, with plates I6 and the shelves, may be furnished precooled before being placed in the as a unit and may be constructed for ready apso plication to a chest previously in use without requiring any modification or work on the chest except the removal of their old doors.

The main features of the invention may be embodied in different forms, and another ar- 05 rangement is shown in Figure 4 in which the receptacle 30 is about twice as deep as that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and is designed to receive a substantially greater quantity of ice and water and hence will require servicing less often. This 70 arrangement is also well adapted for use with large blocks of ice instead of with cracked ice. The shelf 3| is stationary and is supported at each end by an upright plate 32, bent inwardly and downwardly at 33 and 34 and fitted with side 75 substantial opening and fitted with a flap valve 4| so that successive openings and closings of the door tends to circulate the fluid in a constant direction. Except as noted, the general principle of operation and the advantages of the structure correspond to those previously discussed in connection with the structure shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 illustrates another form of the liquid circulating device arranged for actuation by sliding doors as distinguished from hinged doors. The right hand side of receptacle 66 corresponds to receptacle 30, and the shelf 6|, the agitating chamber forming elements 52, agitator 63 and its strap 64 and link 55 are substantially like the corresponding parts shown in Figure 4, but the doors 56 and 51 slide back and forth one beneath the other in a well known manner. When door 56 is slid to the rear, link 55 will raise strap 54 and the forward end of the agitator to produce the same results previously described.

The left hand side of Figure 5 illustrates a similar arrangement in a relatively shallow chest or receptacle, the agitator 60 being hinged on the shelf 6| and actuated by a link 62 engaging its swinging end. The upper end of link 62 is connected to a link 63 pivoted at 64 to the box wall or to the frame 65 and the lower end of link 63 is connected by a link 66 to a door 61. When the door is opened by being moved to the right, the links assume the full line position shown, lowering agitator 66. When the door is closed by being moved to the left, the links assume the position shown in broken lines, elevating the agitator. This agitator is shown without the flap valve indicated in the right hand side of Figure 5 and in Figure 4 and, therefore, its operation results in surges in the liquid in opposite direcons.

Figure 6 illustrates another arrangement in which the agitator 10 is hinged to one edge of the shelf H and is raised and lowered through linkage 12 connected to the hinged door 13. The movement of the door between the positions indicated by full lines and by broken lines results in the movement of the links and the agitator between the positions therefor similarly indicated by full lines and broken lines. Agitator 10 has no flap valve and, in this respect, corresponds to the agitator 66 shown in Figure 5. 1

The details of the agitators and their links may be varied substantially and, if desired, they may be actuated by a manually operated bar or lever .desired in place of cooling the liquid with ice.

therein,

ceptacle and pivotally 1f means manually operable from the exterior of r the cooler for tilting the shelf about its pivot to The ice receptacles in Figures 4, 5 and 6 may be provided with charging chutes similar to those indicated at IS in Figures 1, Z'and 3.

Preferably the pivoted shelves are imperforate so that they act as vanes or paddles to elevate or force the liquid to move between the sides of the receptacles and the edges of the shelves. However, it is not essential that the shelves be of solid sheets from end to end and from edge to edge because a reasonable amount of perforation could be provided without affecting their functioning as paddles. Indeed, the shelves could be provided with substantial perforations arranged so as to be aligned with the bottles set upon the shelf and the structure would still be substantially imperforate in effect and would function as described.

These and other unimportant changes in detail structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cooler of the class described, a liquid receptacle, having upright walls, a goods support therein, a door arranged to be opened and closed to provide access to the goods on the support, and means actuated by the opening and closing of the door for circulating the liquid transversely of the receptacle between said walls.

2. In a cooler of the class described, a receptacle, having upright walls, for cooling liquid and for goods at least partially surrounded by the liquid, an agitator below the normal level of the cooling liquid and comprising a substantially flat horizontally disposed member with its edges spaced a short distance from said walls and pivoted at one edge, and means connecting the door and the agitator for swinging the latter on its pivot when the door is opened and closed to force liquid in the receptacle through the spaces between the edges of the member and said walls and thereby effect circulation of the fluid in opposite directions when the member is raised and lowered.

3. In a cooler, a receptacle for cooling liquid, a substantially continuous shelf below the liquid level in the receptacle and pivotally supported there being spaces between the edges of the shelf and the sides of the receptacle, a door for the receptacle positioned above said shelf, and means actuated by the opening and closing of the door for tilting the shelf on its pivot to circulate liquid in the receptacle through said spaces.

4. In a cooler, a receptacle for cooling liquid, a substantially continuous goods shelf below the liquid level in the receptacle and pivotally supported therein, there being spaces between the edges of the shelf and the sides of the receptacle, a door for the receptacle positioned above the shelf, and linkage connected to the door and to a part of the shelf spaced from its pivotal support for elevating and lowering the latter-mentioned part of the shelf about its pivot to circulate liquid in the receptacle through said spaces as the door is opened and closed.

5. In a cooler, a receptacle for cooling liquid, a goods shelf below the liquid level in the resupported therein, and

cause the cooling liquid to surge back and forth transversely of the receptacle across goods carried on the shelf and around the edges of the latter.

6. In a cooler, a receptacle for cooling liquid, 8. support member for goods to be cooled, a hinged agitator in the receptacle with its edges spaced from the sides of the receptacle, and means for swinging said agitator about its hinge for moving the liquid in the receptacle over the support and goods carried thereon and about the edges of the member.

'1. In a cooler of the class described, a receptacle for cooling liquid, a plurality of shelves for goods arranged edge to edge in the receptacle and below the normal liquid level, there being substantial clearance between each shelf and the adjacent walls of the box, each shelf having a horizontal pivot extending parallel to but spaced from the edge of the shelf adjacent to the other shelf, a door above each of the shelves. and means actuated by the opening of each door for tilting a respective one of the shelves about its pivot and thereby circulating the fluid in the receptacle about both of the shelves and their contents.

8. In a cooler of receptacle having upright the class described, a liquid walls, an upright chute alongside one of the walls with its upper and lower ends open and with its lower end spaced above the bottom of the receptacle, a shelf for goods positioned between the top and bottom of the receptacle with one end straddling the chute and pivoted to swing about said wall, a door for the receptacle extending over the shelf, and means connecting the door and the shelf so as to tilt the shelf on its pivot when the door is opened and closed. I

9. In a cooler of the class described, a liquid receptacle having upright walls, an upright chute alongside one of the walls with its upper and lower ends open and with its lower end spaced above the bottom of the receptacle, a shelf for goods positioned between the top and bottom of the receptacle with one end straddling the chute and pivoted to swing about said wall, a door extending over the shelf and the upper end of the chute and providing access to the same when the door is open, and means connecting the door and the shelf to tilt the shelf about its pivot when the door is opened and closed.

10. In a cooler of'the class described, a receptacle for cooling liquid, a door for the top of the receptacle and hinged thereto at one edge, a goods shelf below the normal level of liquid in the receptacle and substantially coextensive therewith and pivotally supported at the edge opposite to the hinged edge of the door, and linkage connecting the portion of the door adjacent its hinge with the swinging edge of the shelf so that lifting the swinging edge of the door raises the swinging edge of the shelf and circulates the liquid over and under the shelf and around the edges of theshelf.

11. In a cooler of the class described, a receptaclefor cooling liquid, a pair of doors arranged edge to edge along the each hinged to swing independently of the other door about the edge adjacent the other door; a pair of goods shelves arranged edge to edge below the normal level of liquid and corresponding in extent generally to the respective doors and being pivotally supported at their remote edges,

top of the receptacle and in the receptacle above shelves.

12. In a cooler of the class described, a main box-like receptacle for a cooling liquid, a relatively smaller box-like receptacle at the side thereof, there being an upright wall between said receptacles provided with vertically spaced passages below the normal level of liquid in the receptacles, individual goods supports in the receptacles, individual doors for the receptacles, and means actuated by the opening and closing of the door of the main receptacle for circulating the cooling liquid in both receptacles and through said passages.

13. In a cooler 01 the class described, a liquid receptacle, a goods support therein below the normal level of liquid in the receptacle but spaced substantially above the bottom of the receptacle. a. door arranged to be opened and closed to provide access to goods on the support, a relatively small chamber at the bottom of the receptacle, an agitator in said chamber, and means connecting the agitator andthe door whereby opening and closing of the door actuates the agitator to cause liquid therein to circulate about goods carried on the shelf.

14. A structure for application to an open-top box-like receptacle for cooling liquid comprising a shallow, hollow frame adapted to fit over the top edges of the upright walls of the receptacle, a door normally lying in the general plane of the frame and hinged thereto, linkage depending from the door, a goods carrying shelf suspended and beneath both of the at one point from said linkage, and a stationary pivotal support for a portion of the shelf spaced from the linkage, all of said structure being applicable to the receptacle with the shelf positioned below the normal level of liquid therein.

15. A structure for application to an open-top box-like receptacle for cooling liquid comprising an upright member including a vertically disposed open-ended chute arranged to be placed next to one of the upright walls of the receptacle with its upper and lower ends spaced respectively below and above the top and bottom of the receptacle, a hollow frame arranged to fit over the top edges of said walls, a door normally lying in the general plane of said frame and hinged thereto, a goods shelf with one end pivotally supported by said member between the top and bottom of the chute, linkage suspending the other end of the shelf from the door, the shelf being arranged to lie below the normal level of liquid in the receptacle and adapted to be tilted about its pivot by the suspension linkage when the door is opened and closed and thereby circulate the liquid in the receptacle about the goods on the shelf.

16. A structure for application to an opentop box-like receptacle for cooling liquid comprising a shallow,

age depending from the door, a relatively small chamber near the bottom of the receptacfe and opening into the same, an agitator in said chamber connected to said linkage so that openir g and closing the door causes the agitator to circulate the liquid in the receptacle when the door is opened and closed.

17. A structure for application to an open-top box-like receptacle for cooling liquid comprising a shallow, hollow frame adapted to fit over the top edges of the upright walls of the receptacle, a door normally lying in the general plane of the frame and movable thereon, linkage depending from the door, an agitator below the normal level of cooling liquid in the receptacle and connected to said linkage so that opening and closing the door causes the agitatorto circulate the liquid in the receptacle when the door is opened and closed.

18. A cooler as described in claim 1 which includes a supplementary compartment below the liquid receptacle adapted to receive liquid from the receptacle and to form a precooling storage space for goods.

19. In a cooler of the class described, compartments for receiving cooling liquid and for containing goods to be cooled, one of said compartments being closed and provided with a door and with an agitator and the other of said compartments having an open top and being below the first-mentioned compartment, means for actuating the agitator by opening the door to the closed compartment, and means for transferring liquid from the first-mentioned compartment to the second-mentioned compartment.

20. In a cooler of the class described, a liquid receptacle having upright walls, a goods supporting shelf therein extending across the receptacle but with at least one of its edges spaced from an adjacent wall, said shelf being substantially imperforate, a door arranged to be opened and closed to provide access to the goods on the shelf,

and means actuated by the opening and closing of the door for circulating the liquid from top to bottom of the shelf, and vice versa, through the space between the shelf and an adjacent wall.

HARRY C. FYOCK. 

